I've waited this long, yet suddenly now I'm impatient
by SassenachStarbuck
Summary: Everyone is covered in grit and grime, but her aquamarine camisole is still relatively clean, it must have been covered by her jumper that she has recently discarded. The blue green making her eyes sparkle in the early morning light filtering into the Hall. It is in this moment I know that she will never be mine, she never has been, and she never will be.


**Title: "I've waited this long, yet suddenly now I'm impatient."**

 **Team: Ballycastle Bats**

 **Position: Beater 1**

 **A/N: This is for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 8.**

 **Beater 1 Prompt: K-drama -** _ **Temperature of Love.**_ **Theme - unexpectedly meeting someone you had been in love with later on in life despite having had to part ways with them before.**

 **Additional Prompts: 2. (colour) aquamarine, 4. (emotion) frustration, 5.(dialogue) "I've waited this long, yet suddenly now I'm impatient."**

 **Disclaimer: J.K. owns us all.**

 **Word Count: 2040**

 **Beta: My wonderful teammates The Ballycastle Bats!**

I felt strangely calm for all the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The hand that had been gripping the sword still shook as it attempted to rest on my knee. I knew the world would be different. Most of the people I had ever met just witnessed me chopping the head off of Voldemort's snake. Frustration slowly starts replacing the calm, everyone focusing on me when I could only focus on her. I had finally plucked up the courage to tell my love, I say my love, because for years now I have been in love with her. Never knowing how to be there for her as more than just a friend or another Gryffindor. Although I know that she might not return my feelings. I felt I had to tell her or I would live to regret it and the thought of feeling the way I have felt the last 6 years for the rest of my life set the frustration alight. Just as I went to ask Harry if he had seen her, I see her. She is walking into the Great Hall holding hands with Ron. I ask Harry about Luna instead, he looks puzzled his head cocking to the side and chuckles at me nonetheless.

I hope she can be happy with him. I know she has fancied him for a while now. The roaring fire inside doused and sizzling to a fading nothingness. My acceptance of what will never be. The frustration is all that is left beneath the surface of my thoughts of her. It seems like situations like this make up my entire life. I look one more time to where they stand talking with Harry. I try to memorize everything about her in this moment. Everyone is covered in grit and grime, but her aquamarine camisole is still relatively clean, it must have been covered by her jumper that she has recently discarded, and it stands out against her tanned skin. The blue green making her eyes sparkle in the early morning light filtering into the Hall. It is in this moment I know that she will never be mine, she never has been, and she never will be.

 ******Five Years Later******

This is my second year teaching Herbology by myself. I was able to complete my NEWTs and start my apprenticeship at the same time. Pomona had taken a year to co-teach with me, showing me the ropes, before letting me completely take over the position the year before. The start of the year had been the same, getting my lessons sorted before the students were to show up in the next fortnight for the term to begin. The only difference between then and now, was all the speculation and gossip going around the castle. Most of my time is spent with my hands in the dirt. I prefer to stay inside my own thoughts than listen to idle chit chat of others. The lavious stories the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly were printing certainly not quelling the never ending whispering whenever the teachers who lived at the school year round got together at meal times. Something big must have happened, the chatter is louder than usual.

I spend most of my time tending to the Hogwarts greenhouses. At least tending to the school's plants doesn't leave me with a lot of time to worry about such trivial matters. I'm not frustrated at how lonely my life as a professor has become. It seems like one thing after another keeps me occupied and busy. First it was my apprenticeship, then teaching without a mentor, now Minerva has asked if I would be interested in training to take over as Head of House for Gryffindor by the end of the year. It has been hard to try to socialize, as most of my free time in the last few years has been dedicated to making a career for myself.

I found myself forced to listen to the other staff go on and on about some scandal or another that seems to be in the Daily Prophet, morning, noon and night. Every meal has been full of lively conversations that I would rather not be apart of. I quickly finish my lunch, and head back to the greenhouses.

Since taking over from Pomona I have created a small path for the students to the greenhouses. The right hand side, of which are lined with larkspur, their aquamarine color reflecting the sky above me. So at least if I don't have time to go and meet anyone. I can take a few moments and think about all the things that could have been if I would have had the courage during third year, instead of letting her work herself sick in her back corner of the library. If I would have asked her to the Yule ball before Krum could. If I would have comforted her when Ron first showed his true colors and dated Lavender right in front of her.

The last week before school was to resume seemed to fly by. There are only two days before term is going to start when I receive a summons to see the Headmistress in her office. About 20 minutes had passed by the time I finally got the Gargoyle to let me by, sometimes I think it can sense my frustration at my life, and my overall presence, and takes pleasure in adding to it. I barely raise my fist to knock when the door swings open. I walk in, questions on the tip of my tongue. There in front of McGonagall's desk sits the woman I had never thought I would see again. Why was Hermione at Hogwarts?

"Neville, if you would have a seat, please", came the Scottish lilt from behind the desk. "I imagine that you are wondering why Mrs. Weasley is here today."

"It's Ms. Granger or Hermione if you don't mind Professor", came Hermione's quiet but melodic voice.

"My apologies, and do call me Minierva dear, we are past such formalities." Minerva replied and she finally looked up and noticed the utter look of shock and awe on my face. My heart beat erratically and my limbs feel heavy and numb. After a decade of loving the beautiful woman in front of me, it still amazes me to know that my palms sweat and I honestly don't know if I have the power to move my mouth to speak anymore.

"It's nice to see you again, Neville", Hermione states from her seated position. It takes me a second to form a thought and respond nervously as I attempt to take the seat next to her. Her eyes hesitantly make contact with mine. She is searching for something, nothing but the love I carry for her shines back. She looks taken aback for a moment, before casting her eyes downwards once again.

"Neville, I have asked if Hermione would like to join our staff here at Hogwarts, and she has accepted. She will be the new Arithmancy professor. Professor Vector has decided to take early retirement, so Hermione is graciously helping us by accepting the position on such short notice. Would you be able to make sure she finds her quarters, the schedule for all staff meetings, the supervision rotations and any other things she may need while she adjusts to life inside the castle?" Minerva asked as she came around the desk.

"I would be honored to show our Hermione around.", turning back towards Hermione, "Would you like to get settled first?"

"That would be nice, although I don't have a lot to unpack, and it would be great to grab a bite down in the Great Hall later." she comments.

I anxiously show her the way from the Headmistresses' office to her personal quarters which aren't far from the Arithmancy classroom itself. Both of which are located on the seventh floor near the Room of Requirement.

"I remember that this was your favorite subject back in school, is that what made you fancy this position?" trying desperately to make some kind of small talk and to not sound like the bumbling fourth year she probably remembers me as.

"It was, it still is, but honestly Neville, I would have taken any open position here at the school. I'm extremely lucky that Minerva had a spot for me at this exact time."

"Did you not like your job at the Ministry? I thought you would have been Minister of Magic one day." I didn't really understand what would have made her want to leave so drastically.

"Have you not been reading the papers? I figured all of England and Scotland would have been gossiping about me by now? Poor pitiful Hermione, couldn't satisfy her own husband, so he went looking wherever he could." she lamented while sliding her eyes over my face sideways, look for my reaction without being obvious.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LOOKING ELSEWHERE?!" I shouted.

"I thought you would have heard by now, Neville, it's almost in every newspaper everyday. He was upset that I wanted to wait to have children, he was upset that I wanted to wait to buy a house, he was upset that I wanted to have a career and not stay home just like his mother." she said simply. It sounded like all the fight had finally left her.

"It sounds like he didn't really know you at all. You have wanted to make a change from within the Ministry since you started S.P.E.W. in our fourth year. There will be a time for children, and directly after a war is not really the time for that. We had so much taken from us, it is only natural to want to take time for ourselves." I forcefully replied as calmly as I could muster although I could feel my heart beating hard and the strain pulling on the base of my neck.

Hermione had stopped walking and just stared at me her head tilting to the side, like she was truly seeing me for the first time. I shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. She finally continued walking, and I pointed out where to access her quarters from the hallway and from inside the classroom here on the seventh floor. She smiled up at me and told me she would see me down in the Great Hall later. I started on the long journey back to my cottage located behind the greenhouses. It dawned on me that it was entirely possible that this would be the first trip of many more to come during the upcoming school term.

 ******Five Years Later******

The sun filtered through the leaves of the low hanging branches of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. Some of the beams kissing the top of the of the ribboned arch that was situated just inside the boundary of the Forest. There weren't many people we had invited today. Harry stood next to me, and I knew his wife Ginny was off somewhere with Hermione getting them both ready for the day. The last five years have been the best of my life.

A small selfish part of me wished both of our parents could be here today, but they aren't. We have each other and that is all that matters. The twenty or guests turned to look down the aisle as the music began to play. Ginny slowly walked down the aisle and waited off to the side near the Minister as Hermione made her first appearance.

Her dress was simple but elegant. Her hair was down but braids framed the sides of her face, woven in the braids were blue statice. The tiny aquamarine flowers directing the sun around her.

She makes eye contact with me, her eyes never breaking contact with my own. I hear the Minister speak, and realize that she has finally stopped in front of me. I feel my left leg start to shake. My hands twitch while holding hers, anxious for the ceremony to start.

"Neville" she whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, love" I whispered back. "I've waited this long, yet suddenly now I'm impatient."


End file.
